Like Helping Kids? Pursue a Career in Child Psychology

by Alex A. Kecskes

With divorce rates on the rise and today's tough economic times placing undue demands on single-parent households, children are under increased pressure at all levels. Child Psychologists can help children who suffer emotionally from a variety of traumas and dysfunctional episodes in their lives. Specifically licensed and trained to counsel and treat children, Child Psychologists may work hand-in-hand with parents and children, but the emphasis is always on improving a child's mental well-being.



As a Child Psychologist, you may evaluate children in support or supervision of social workers in a clinical setting. You'll learn to deal with childhood specific issues of emotional development, substance abuse, family and behavioral problems. You may also be involved in diagnosing and treating a child's learning disabilities and performing IQ and educational assessments.



While the minimum requirement for those who want to begin working with children on a clinical level is a Master's Degree, most careers in child psychology usually require doctoral degrees. You'll need a thorough understanding of child development. You may also need some training in pharmacology.



Child Psychologists will be in great demand through 2016, due primarily to a rising need for their services in schools, hospitals and social service agencies. Salaries will vary widely depending on your qualifications, location and specific duties. School Child Psychologists, for example, can expect to earn about $60,000, while Child Psychologists with an independent practice may take in over $120,000 annually.



Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients.

Are You Really Listening?

You have applied for the job, received the call and now today is interview day! You might have even taken the time to research the company (which you always should) and have a bunch of questions ready to ask during the interview. Everything has fallen into place for you.

Now, you are sitting in front of the interviewer. What are you thinking about? Are you thinking about all of the questions you prepared in advance? Are you patting yourself on the back for being ready for this interview? Wait – what did he say? What did he just ask? Oops – you weren’t listening. Now you are going to have to ask him to repeat the question. Not a good thing to do during an interview.

Listening skills are vital in any part of business but especially now during this all important interview! Not just listening skills but active listening skills. Being able to take what the interviewer said and paraphrase it in your own words. Opening your mind and really and truly listening instead of looking around the room or thinking about what you are going to do after the interview and so on. Active listening is a skill, not a given. Don’t kid yourself into thinking you are having a great interview if you are not actively listening because that interviewer can tell. Your body language – as in how your body is positioned will tell the whole story. Are you sitting back thinking – wow this is easy or are you sitting forward really listening and really taking in the questions and the conversation? Are you answering the questions with sentences or are you just saying yes or no.

Active listening is truly the key in any interview. Practice it at home. Practice it with friends, family and neighbors by rephrasing their comments back to them. If they look at you funny you can explain that you are learning how to be an active listener. Learning this skill can make the difference between a “thank you for coming” dismissal at the end of the interview or a “I would like to set up a second interview with you” appraisal. Which response would you like to have?

By: Nancy Anderson, Staff Writer

The Quest For Credit

With so many employers now doing both background checks and credit checks to screen job candidates, it is a good idea to take the time to do a financial checkup and get your credit score under control. The importance of good credit is unquestionable, but for many of us, it is too easy to get into debt and very hard to get out of it.

I found this great video at Mint.com, and it is very clever and informative. It is a wonderful illustration of how credit works. I was impressed with their animation, even though I was a little disturbed at the end when the old guy turns into an attractive blonde. I am not sure if they meant for the point to be that having good credit lets you win the heart of hot blonde chicks that dress up like old men and wear do it yourself, Etsy-style credit card bling. Actually, I think that was sort of trendy back in the 80's.

The video is very funny, but the people at Mint.com want to stress that bad credit is no laughing matter.

And they are right. Having bad credit can make you poor and keep you that way. High interest rates and minimum monthly payments are designed to keep you in debt with no way out. Low credit scores keep you from being able to buy a home, and force you to keep paying rent instead of investing in something that you own and can sell later. And now, sadly, having poor credit can cost you a career.

So, if you are struggling with bad credit, watch the video and get some great tips for taming your own debt demons.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a freelance writer and regular contributor to several websites and other publications, a volunteer, a full time mom and an active job seeker.

Wilmington Trust chooses SEI Corp over SunGard

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog about the change of command at Wilmington Trust Bank. At that time I mentioned that there would be some changes. From a personal point of view, my fear was that the bank would start selling off sections. Today, in the Philadelphia Inquirer, I read that SEI Corp was selected over other investment concerns, including Sungard, to provide processing and accounting systems for Wilmington Trust’s advisory businesses including Wealth Advisory Services and Corporate Client Services. According to Wilmington Trust, it was crucial for them to provide a superior client service. Of course, it would be considering that their advisory businesses bring in about half of Wilmington Trust’s revenue and therefore key to their future growth. I had to wonder, though, what SEI Corp could offer Wilmington Trust that the current provider, Sungard, could not?

Company comparison:

Sungard:
Private company – founded 1983
20,000 employees
25,000 customers
70 countries
Provides software & processing solutions for financial services, higher education and public sectors
Provides disaster recovery services, managed IT services, business continuity management software
Revenue – annually: $5 billion
Fortune 500 ranking: 380


SEI Corp:
Public company – founded in 1983
2239 employees
7000 clients
50 countries
Provides client wealth solutions – both institutional and private
Offers solutions in five wealth management markets: private banks, financial advisors, institutional investors, investment managers and individuals
Administers $394 billion in mutual fund & pooled assets: $162 billion in assets

According to Joe Distefano’s blog, SEI beat out Sungard because Wilmington Trust felt that SEI’s services expertise and ongoing technological innovation were better than Sungard’s and also SEI could offer a great cost reduction over the next ten years. SEI is more of a trust company than Sungard as well as being a public company.

I guess time will tell if the new powers in Wilmington Trust made the right decision. In the meantime Philly, keep checking SEI’s site for new job postings. With such a new undertaking you should be able to expect at least a few new positions to open up with SEI.

By: Nancy Anderson, Staff Writer

Are You Motivated to be a Sports Psychologist?

by Alex A. Kecskes

Sports Psychologists deal with the psychological and mental factors that influence and enhance an individual's performance in sport, exercise and physical activity. They also evaluate how participation in sports, exercise, and physical activity may improve one's personal development and well-being.



There are a variety of sub-fields a sport psychology professional can pursue. Based on your specific interests and training, you may decide to conduct research and educating others about sports psychology. You may, on the other hand, prefer to work directly with athletes, coaches, or athletic administrators. In this capacity, you'll serve not only as an educator but also as an implementer of programs designed to enhance the performance of athletes.



If you are interested in pursuing a career in sport psychology, you'll need at least a bachelor's degree and ideally perform some sort of internship that involves you with a sports team. The job picture opens up considerably for those with a master's or PhD degree. If you want to work as an independent consultant, you'll need to be licensed by the state where you plan to work. Beyond that, you'll need some important intrinsic social skills. For example, you should show a concern and care for athletes and coaches; have a likable personality (you don't want to be like the coach in "Glee"); you should demonstrate the ability to establish good working relationships with athletes and coaches; and be willing to learn practical skills (what you didn't learn in school) from athletes and coaches.



Pay scales vary depending upon experience and education. Those beginning their careers as sports psychologists can expect to start in the low $20K range. Those with advanced degrees and some experience can pull in salaries in the $30k range. Naturally, consultants to major sports teams can earn considerably more. For more information, check out Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP)



Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients.

The Laid-Off Life: Chewing the Scenery

”Life is the sum of all your choices.” – Albert Camus

As I’ve mentioned before, I entered the Laid-Off Life because the company for which I was working was sold to a larger out-of-state competitor and more-or-less closed down. The office location was shuttered, but a couple people continued working transition out of a Michael Scott Paper Company-sized temporary location. A few people were to work ‘until further notice’ from home for the new big, bad owners. And a few were offered positions in Florida at the Buy-More home office.

Including me.

They really wanted me. They called day after day trying to convince me to move. They fed me lines like ‘we’ll put you on track for a possible Executive position’ and ‘we think you’ll fit in really great with our Florida staff’ and ‘the cost-of-living is so much cheaper’. But they weren’t willing to give or guarantee me a raise for the trouble of moving a thousand miles, they weren’t going to help with housing or moving expenses, and, worst of all, they weren’t offering me my same position; they were offering a different one, one I didn’t really want.

So I turned it down.

Besides what MegaLoMart was offering (or not offering) me to move to the land of oranges, I had plenty of things keeping me here in the Illadelph: family, friends, my girlfriend, the Phillies, Jim’s Steaks. It was an easy and a hard decision at the same time.

While I grew up here in The City That Loves You Back, it’s not like moving away for a job was foreign to me. I stayed in New York after college for work. I moved to Kansas for a promotion. I moved to Chicago for a short-term position of all things. In fact, I was away from Broad & Market from the time I started college until New Years 2006. But this time was different. Between what was keeping me here and what was keeping me from going there (not even including oppressive heat, BP-sponsored oil-infused hurricanes, and pest-control issues), staying where I’d just started to lay roots again was the right choice at the time.

That was nearly a year ago.

Back then, I had no idea what was ahead. I never would have guessed I would be still looking for work 11 months hence. I had no idea I’d be killing myself juggling four freelance gigs. I had no idea I would be burdened with health insurance struggles (no COBRA) and unemployment compensation worries. I had no idea I’d be having so much quality time with the cat. Not moving to ‘The Big Guava’ (yes, that’s really the nickname of the city in Florida) became a bigger life-decision the farther removed from that decision I got.

We all know the economic and employment environment we are living in. Despite signs of glacial improvement in the US, our recovery is being stymied by severe new troubles in Europe, especially in the UK and Greece. I don’t need to tell you it still stinks out there, or you wouldn’t be here on this site. So, more and more, Americans are grappling with the decision whether or not to look to another city for work. Maybe you are too, especially if you’ve been on the job hunt for quite some time. In 2008, the proverbial ‘last year statistics were available’, 1.2 million people claimed moving expense tax deductions for job related moves. And that was before the downturn. It’s a hard decision, one of the hardest you may ever have to make. And a very personal one. So many things may keep you here, and so many things may be telling you it’s time to leave. And companies increasingly aren’t helping. Moving expenses aren’t offered nearly as often. Help with temporary housing is now a rarity (when I moved to Kansas, they put me up in a nice hotel so long, I actually started feeling guilty about it; imagine a company doing that these days). And if you think trying to find a job for you is hard, try finding one for a co-relocating spouse on top of that.

But sometimes desperate times call for desperate relocation. People are looking nearly anywhere for a job, and taking it because they have to. People are moving to new cities without even having a new job yet because they heard the hiring rate for their particular field is better there. Considering moving to Canada to find a job? They don’t want you. It’s harder than ever to get a green card there because new laws are restricting foreign hiring over les habitants canuck. So, if you’re at the point in your job hunt when you feel that trying your luck in a different region of this great land, do so carefully, with great forethought, and with a lot of research. PhillyJobs.com’s parent company, Beyond.com, has great resources for jobs in forty different cities, from Atlanta to West Palm Beach (a job by the beach doesn’t sound so bad right now).

So, if you’re in a position where you can pack up and leave (we’ll miss you at the World Series), by all means, consider it a legitimate option. And maybe it’s just the thing you need, a little change of scenery. Search job boards, do your due-diligence, and find out if diasporic companies you’re interested in conduct phone interviews or pay for you to come out to interview. Consider the housing market if you have to buy or sell a house, or both. Compare the costs-of-living. PhillyJobs.com recently had a great article about just such a consideration. So if you’re fortunate and good enough to get that job in Palm Beach, start hitting up your friends to help you load the truck. I hear the going rate is a pizza-per-hour-worked.

So, did I make the right decision turning down the Florida job? At the time, I’d only been back home in Philly for 3½ years, and I was just starting to grow roots again. Would it have been nice to have a job 11 months ago instead of sitting here writing for you about not having a job? Maybe, with different circumstances (but you woulda missed me). Would I have been happier if I had taken the job? Doubtful. Did I make the right decision?

Yup.


Michael Hochman
LaidOffLife@yahoo.com ◙ Laid-Off Life on Twitter ◙ Laid-Off Life on Facebook

Michael is a Copywriter, Creative Marketer, and Broadcasting Professional still in search of full-time employment after 11 months of full-time job hunting, thanks to an “involuntary career sabbatical”. A Philly native and Syracuse graduate, Michael will gladly accept any job offer you may have for him. Any. Really. Please give me a job??

---

"Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called everybody, and they meet at the bar." - Drew Carey

10 Mind-Blowingly Creative Resumes

I was recently looking around the internet for ideas to spice up my resume format and found some amazingly creative resumes. While I am not sure if the over the top graphic design resumes are the right choice for many of us, it is certainly a way to stand out from the crowd. When you are looking for a position in a creative field such as Web Design, Graphic Design and even Copyrighting, making your resume into your own work of art can show off you talents and abilities, working as a mini-portfolio as well as giving your job experience and training.

So I scoured the internet to bring to you the top ten most creative resumes.

1. Joe Kelso

2. Anna Yenina

3. David Young

4. Crista Watson

5. Omondi Abudho

6. Ellen Ternes

7. Fresh83

8. Jane Doe

9. Kate Nadolski

10. Greg Dizzia

By Melissa Kennedy- a freelance writer that has contributed to various websites and e-zines. A volunteer, full time mom and active job seeker.

Step Up to a Career in Sports Podiatry

by Alex A. Kecskes

Who do runners, joggers, and walkers turn to when they want to workout without injury and enjoy it? The sports podiatrist, of course. Those who fail to seek their advice (or foolishly ignore it) can often expect to suffer from various types of painful injuries. In fact, without proper treatment, an athlete's minor foot injury can turn into a potentially career ending condition.

As a medical professional, a sports podiatrist will diagnose an athlete's sports-related foot or ankle problem by carefully examining his or her injury. Based on its severity, the podiatrist may prescribe medication, design a rehabilitation program, or offer guidance on how to avoid future injuries. The specific treatment will take into account both the needs of the athlete and the demands of the sport. If needed, the sports podiatrist may perform surgery to repair a broken bone or damaged ligament.



To pursue a career in sports podiatry, you'll need at least a bachelor's degree. You'll also need a four-year degree in podiatric medicine (DPM) from one of a handful of podiatric medicine colleges across the U.S. After that, you'll need to complete a two-year residency program and pass a licensing exam.



With today's heightened interest in exercise and fitness, increasing numbers of people will seek the services of a sports podiatrist.



What can you expect to earn as a licensed sports podiatrist? Median annual earnings were $94,870 in 2002, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle 50 percent earned between $62,500 and $139,230 a year.



For more information, check out the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine website at



Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients.

10 Questions to Ask at Your Next Interview

During an interview, I always have focused on trying to best answer the questions that the interviewer has for me without visibly sweating, stammering or otherwise making a fool of myself, but I had not given much thought to what questions I ought to be asking. There is always that part in the interview when the hiring manager asks me if I have any questions about the position or the job descriptions, and I ask one or two basic questions and say something like, “No, I think you have already touched on the ones I had, thank you.” It's a cop-out, I know, but sitting in that chair focusing on trying my best to get the job, I forget that I want to be sure that the job I get is going to be the right job for me. I don't want to be miserable in a job that is ill-suited to my abilities and end up looking for another job in a very short time.

It is easy to see that in this difficult job market, every minute of an interview is crucial and you can't afford to miss an opportunity to set yourself apart. Employers are looking for candidates that are poised, motivated and able to think on their feet, so stumbling through this last part can ruin your chances to get hired, and also prevent you from finding out if the job is going to be a good fit for you. When we are unemployed or desperate for a career change, it is all to easy to try hard to get hired that we don't care about the details of the job. So, along with practicing your answers to the frequently asked interview questions, make a note of the questions to ask your interviewer.

1. Why is this position open?

2. Can you describe a typical week in this position?

3. How would you describe the company's management style?

4. How would you describe the culture here?

5. How is success in this position measured?

6. What are the biggest challenges someone in this position might face?

7. What does the company do to motivate and challenge its employees?

8. What do you think are the main responsibilities someone in this position would have?

9. Is there anything in my resume and job experience that concerns you or makes you question my fit for this position?

10. When do you expect to make a final decision?

These types of questions help you to impress upon the interviewer that you are serious about the job opening and are putting in the time to find a position that offers you the right fit. By asking questions, not only can you get the information, but you have a chance to restate (briefly) your qualifications and show your interviewer that you are not desperate and are determined to find a career not just another job. You want to show them that you are the right choice for the position and that they are the right choice for you.

By: Melissa Kennedy

Melissa Kennedy is a freelance writer, volunteer, parent and jobseeker

How to Handle Panel Interviews

After all of your hard work, you finally got the call for an interview. This is such an exciting time! The Human Resources associate sets up a date and time with you for the interview. Then she casually throws out to please plan on several hours for your interview as it will be a panel interview! OH NO – a panel interview. The terror starts to set in. You stumble through the rest of the conversation and set up the time for the dreaded interview.

So now you have to figure out how to handle this! A panel interview is really no different than a one-on-one. Even though it may be a lot more stressful – it’s still just an interview.

First of all relax. A panel interview can be terrifying but only if you let it. A panel interview allows you to really put your best foot forward and to get through a myriad of individual interviews all in one sweep.

• Introduce yourself to each panel member if time permits. If not, at least acknowledge each member by eye contact.

• Be prepared to write down the names and positions of each member. Usually in cases like this, the interviewers will give you a business card which makes it a lot easier to keep track of their names and positions.

• Respond fully to each question. When responding, look at the member who asked the question first and then make eye contact with each member around the table, ending up with the initial member.

• Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification to any question that you may not understand.

• When answering a question, keep your answers in plain language – especially if the panel consists of individuals outside of your particular skill set. Don’t try to dazzle them, they know their job.

• Be prepared to ask questions of them, also. Come prepared with a list of questions based upon your research of the company and the position. Believe me; they are happy to talk about their company.

• When you see that the interview is coming to an end, make sure to ask if anyone needs to know more about you or about your skills. When you ask this question – make sure you look at each person on the panel.

At the end of the interview, treat it as you would an individual interview and thank all of the panel members. If the situation allows, shake hands with each person thanking them for their time – thanking them by name, if possible. There, now see – a panel interview really is a piece of cake!

By: Nancy Anderson, Staff Writer

The Rising Demand for Exercise Physiologists

by Alex A. Kecskes

With today's increasing emphasis on exercise as a means of promoting good health, the need for Exercise Physiologists has never been greater. As a Board Certified Exercise Physiologist, you'll help individuals improve and maintain their health and fitness. You'll implement programs that help rehabilitate those with heart disease and other chronic diseases and disabilities. And you'll provide professional guidance and counsel to athletes and others involved in sports training. As an exercise physiologist, you'll study how physical activity influences the body’s cardiovascular system, endocrine system, and musculoskeletal system.



Exercise physiologists have a broad range of opportunities. Their services are in demand in commercial and industrial facilities, health clubs, recreation centers and educational institutions. Exercise physiologists may also work in clinical settings, prescribing exercise for doctor-referred patients.



Unlike a personal trainer, Exercise Physiologists are healthcare professionals who have completed a degree in exercise physiology and/or have been certified by the American Society of Exercise Physiologists (ASEP). To begin your career as an Exercise Physiologist, you'll need an undergraduate degree in exercise physiology or exercise science. A master's degree may be necessary in certain areas. An internship or part-time employment is ideal for most entry-level exercise physiology positions. The certification for exercise test technologist, exercise specialist, or health/fitness director is available through the American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM's highest certification is program director. Continuing education hours are required every four years for recertification.



What can you expect to make as an Exercise Physiologist? According to the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation, Labor Market Statistics Center, exercise physiologists earned $43,323 annually in 2009. Salaries are expected to rise as the nation's population gets older and the need for continued exercise is stressed by physicians.



Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients.

The Laid-Off Life: All Atwitter over Social Job Hunting

“For the uninitiated, here’s how Twitter works: I have no freaking idea. I have no idea how it works – or why it exists." – Jon Stewart

RT @Bogie99: @IngridBergman: Here's looking @you kid #PlayItAgain.

PhillyJobs.com recently posted an article about Twitter and the job search. I decided that it was time to address the great world of Twitter in my column. You can’t escape it. I mean, how else would you know where Kourtney Kardashian is partying to or what Lady Gaga is eating or what time your friends went to bed? (And seriously? Britney Spears is the most followed person on Twitter? Not sure if that says something more about Britney or about America).


According to the latest statistics, nearly 142 million Americans use at least one social networking site. That’s nearly half your neighbors. Over 120 million of those are on Facebook. But Twitter only has 20 or so million users in the US; that’s a sixth of what Facebook has. That’s even a third less Americans than those still on MySpace (but statistics indicate that only 18 million are ‘active MySpace users’, and most of them are probably your 11-year old niece and some annoying emo band.) But even so, Twitter (along with LinkedIn and its 35 million domestic users which I’ll get into another time) seems is the go-to place for job hunting the in social network world.

I happen to really enjoy Facebook. I think it’s a wonderful innovation for many purposes, from connecting to former kindergarten classmates to tending to fake farms and mafia families (which, I’ll tell you, I don’t get). But it’s also a great job hunting tool for networking - I even got this gig that way - but not optimized to do so. I was an early adapter of MySpace and Facebook and all that Web 2.0 stuff, but I never warmed up to Twitter. I mean, I just didn’t get it. Unless I wanted to follow famous people (which I really don’t), wasn’t it the same as posting and reading Facebook updates without all the other cool features? And, if you’ve ever read my columns before, I am not one to often limit what I say to 140 characters. It takes me just that long to say hi. Twitter, it seemed to me, was for twits.

But as I eased into the Laid-Off Life, I reached out to my social network for advice in the job search. One particularly astute friend, who was a professional in the human resources field, suggested some ways to look using Twitter. The idea didn’t really excite me, but I figured it couldn’t hurt. I created an account, looked up a smattering of friends to ‘follow’ (friends clearly more interesting than I), and there I was, a full-fledged resident of the Twitterverse. Let the cyber-partying begin.

My HR friend suggested a couple of the top job search tools on Twitter for me to try: tweetmyjobs and tweetajob. I didn’t know that Twitter had this kind of interaction. The sign-ups were rather similar to creating traditional searches on CareerBuilder or PhillyJobs.com. Plug in the location where you’re job searching and the field you wish to be employed in, and bam, you’re following ‘Philadelphia writing’ or ‘South Jersey carpentry’ or ‘Schwenksville barista’, and boom, it’s right there in your feed along with Justin Bieber’s hair report. A tweet will appear in your stream like: “Jobs_in_Philly #jobs Creative Graphic Designer - Horsham, PA US: Categories: Media: http://bit.ly/cHE26W”, with a shortened URL link right to the job posting. And another site, TwitJobSearch, is a great search engine that aggregates the listings from a lot of these sorts of Twitter job feeds. What could be simpler?

But don’t confuse simplicity with effort, or as the late, great UCLA coach John Wooden said, “Do not confuse activity for achievement”. Just because all these great job leads are being funneled directly to you doesn’t mean that you just mass-apply for every interesting job and wait. Twitter is very immediate, but it’s no different than finding jobs in any other way. The word ‘lead’ is the proper terminology here. Because that’s all they are, just leads. Now you must apply the effort. Take these job suggestions and do the same due-diligence you would applying for any other job. Research, plan, follow up. And it’s not just job services; your Twitter (and other SNS's) friends can help you find a job, point you towards a job lead, or give you a reference. And honestly, it doesn’t even have to be people you know. These sites allow you to connect with people you don't know, based on common interests or career fields.

But just because I’m on Twitter and I use it to help find jobs doesn’t mean I understand the point of Twitter or the relative mass appeal of it. I feel I could stand outside Girard Station and yell “I’m having waffles for breakfast!” at passersby and get the same results. I even recently learned that 60% of Twitterers quit the service within the first month, presumably because they just don’t get the allure either. But I’ll stick with it. I have RW (that’s ‘real world’) friends that I follow, and I do follow a couple famous people I find interesting. I highly suggest you follow the actor Josh Malina (@JoshMalina) - he's hilarious - and author Elizabeth Wurtzel (@LizzieWurtzel) - she's brilliant - and you can follow me there too (@PhillyPartTwo). But, back to my point, I am indeed using it for things like the job search, and with good luck and my own due-diligence, maybe one of those leads will turn in to a job.

In the meantime, hopefully I can use my newly-found knowledge that "This week's Real Housewives of NJ was a little too real" from @teresa_giudice for good instead of evil.


Michael Hochman
LaidOffLife@yahoo.com ◙ Laid-Off Life on Twitter ◙ Laid-Off Life on Facebook

Michael is a Copywriter, Creative Marketer, and Broadcasting Professional still in search of full-time employment after 11 months of full-time job hunting, thanks to an “involuntary career sabbatical”. A Philly native and Syracuse graduate, Michael will gladly accept any job offer you may have for him. Any. Really. Please give me a job??

---

"Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called everybody, and they meet at the bar." - Drew Carey

Top 15 LinkedIn Groups For Job Seekers

LinkedIn is one of the most popular professional networking sites on the web, and if you haven't set up an account yet, you should do so right away! If you already have one, check out this list and see if there is one or two that you haven't joined.

Although LinkedIn is not as popular as Facebook or Twitter, it is offers one of the best resources for job seekers to network and find out about openings in their job field. For one, your LinkedIn profile is also your online resume, and there is also a recommend feature that allows other users to recommend you for a position, so it works as an instant personal reference.

LinkedIn groups are an invaluable resource for expanding your job. You can join up to 50 groups out of thousands of user created listings. Some groups are created by individuals and some by companies. Each group is a community where like-minded people who are in similar situations can discuss problems within the group. As you can imagine, this lends itself perfectly to the job search. Some of the groups are devoted to job listings and networking, and some focus more on support and helping others find jobs. Whatever your needs are, take a look and see if one of these groups can help you with your search.

Here is the top 15 groups for job seekers and their group summaries, if I am missing one of your favorite groups, please let me know.

1. JobAngels - “Become a Job Angel by helping one person find a job! It can be a friend, a colleague, a neighbor or a total stranger. And if you need help yourself, join JobAngels to locate someone who is willing to lend a hand. “
2. Project:Get Hired : A motivational support group for job hunters to share creative strategies and stay motivated. Whether you are recently downsized or have been unemployed for awhile, join for valuable information and insight.
3. Job Search Help : This group is for all Job Seekers. Share advice and leads. Network and help each other. Discuss Job Boards, job search engines, career sites, ways to write a good resume etc.
4. Executive Suite - Community of over 100,000 US-based executive-level and recruiter members.
5. The Talent Buzz - Job Seekers, Candidates, Recruiting, HR, and Marketing professionals interested in networking, and being kept up to date with the latest trends in Human Resources, Diversity, Talent Management, Recruitment, Social Media, and Social Networking.
6. Star:Candidate for Hire - Group working in tandem with Linked:HR, the largest Recruiters’ Group on LinkedIn, to help top candidates find jobs quickly and efficiently.
7. JobsDirectUSA - Official job search group on LinkedIn for JobsDirectUSA.com.
8. Career Rocketeer - Career Launch Network - Fastest-growing professional network for career search, career development and personal branding, bringing job seekers and employers, recruiters and career experts together for mutual success.
9. A Job Needed - A Job Posted - Group is for all LinkedIn members searching for employment, posting employment or recruiters helping members find employment.
10. MyCredentials - Career Presentation - Group helping members to network, expand their resumes and enhance their interview skills.
11. Indeed.com - Official job search group on LinkedIn for Indeed.com.
12. Job Search Help - Discussion group for job seekers sharing advice and leads and networking to help one another.
13. ResumeMaker Career Network - Forum connecting qualified job seekers with hiring managers and corporate recruiters as well as allowing candidates to discuss and share career opportunities.
14. Helping Friends Career Network (LI2HF) - Business and career network where entrepreneurs, hiring managers, recruiters, and talented professionals worldwide can make meaningful win-win connections.
15. JibberJobber - Career Management - Network for executives, professionals, students and all those involved in the career services industry, including counselors, coaches and resume writers.

By-Melissa Kennedy: Melissa is a freelance writer, having contributed to various blogs and websites, a volunteer, a full time mom and an active job seeker.

A Rewarding Career in Physical Therapy

by Alex A. Kecskes

A career in physical therapy has many rewards. You will be helping individuals who suffer from medical problems or other health-related conditions or injuries overcome their inability to move and perform everyday activities. As a licensed healthcare professional, you'll use various treatment techniques to reduce pain, restore mobility, and prevent disability. You'll also work proactively with individuals to prevent the loss of mobility before it occurs by developing special fitness and wellness programs.



Physical therapists address a wide variety of work and sports related injuries. Among these are problems like sprains/strains and fractures, back and neck injuries, arthritis, burns, amputations and stroke. After patients are evaluated and diagnosed with movement dysfunction(s), physical therapists will conduct or supervise such interventions as functional training, therapeutic exercise, and a variety of manual therapy techniques.



Physical therapists can often be found in hospitals and outpatient clinics. While their jobs are often physically demanding as they lift and assist immobile or partially immobile patients, the rewards can be quite gratifying as patients experience the joys of increased mobility and independence.



The American Physical Therapy Association’s accrediting body--the Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)--accredits entry-level academic programs in physical therapy. To enter the field, you'll need a post-baccalaureate degree from an accredited physical therapy program. In addition, many programs require volunteer experience in the physical therapy department of a hospital or clinic.



As a licensed Physical Therapist, you'll earn a respectable income. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical therapists earned a mean annual wage of $76,220 in 2009. Earnings can top six figures as you gain experience or specialize.



Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients.

Lower Expectations?

I was just watching the news where the anchor was discussing job openings at a national food manufacturing plant. My first thought was YES, finally things are looking up. Manufacturers are starting to hire. Then the cameras panned along the front of the building showing thousands of people standing in line to apply for those few openings and my heart just sunk. Maybe the economy hasn’t turned as much as I had hoped.
So I went on a search to find out the truth – or as close to the truth as I could get since we all know how newscasters are!



According to CNN, the following is our current status:

Although the graph paints a pretty picture, the truth of the matter is that the numbers are inflated due to hiring of temporary US Census workers. Census workers accounted for a whopping 411,000 of the 431,000 noted above. It seems that the private sector is still quite afraid to open its coffers and hire new workers. Some of those in the private sector are still laying workers off.


The numbers show that manufacturers did add more jobs in May but more were lost in construction. Retailers and financial firms also cut their numbers. Leisure and hospitality did add jobs but no surprise there – after all, it is summertime. According to the surveys, the public sector employers are waiting – waiting to see what happens when the new numbers come out for June or for July of for August…. (sigh). Don’t you wonder how long they are going to wait?




By: Nancy Anderson, Staff Writer

Top 5 Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions

Preparing for an interview can be especially nerve-wracking, I always wonder what they are going to ask me and dread the moment when they ask if there are any questions I have. The best way to prepare for just this senario is to practice, practice and practice. If you can prepare your answers to the most common questions that interviewers ask, you can write down your answers and role play them with a friend or even just in the mirror. Being prepared can help keep you from those interview jitters.

I found a list of frequent interview questions from Forbes magazine, circa 1983. Surprisingly, not much has changed since then, and I still think that it is one of the best lists ever. Here are the top 5 questions and how best to answer them.

1. Tell me about yourself.

This is the best time for you to to review your career goals and experience. Be careful here, because you don't want to take up too much time. This is just a warm up question, so be brief. Cover the early years, education and job experience.

2. What do you know about our organization?

While researching the job opening, you should know something about the company and be able to talk about something that is relevant to the company and the service or products it supplies. When in doubt, Google is your friend.
You should keep your answers positive, and while not overwhelming the interviewer, let the know that you have done your research. If you are in a bind and blank out during this, you can always say that you have researched many companies in the course of your job search and you need to do more research on this one.


3. Why should we hire you?

This is the question that strikes fear into most of our hearts. It can be hard to promote yourself this way, but you should be able to give a one minute or so recap of what makes you perfect for this position. Rather than saying “you should hire me because...”, try starting with something different. For example, you can say “I would be be a perfect fit for your company and this position because...”.

4. Why do you want to work for us?

This is the question where you can show off your research skills. At this point, you should be able to talk about what the company needs and what skills and talents you have that can benefit the company and help you grow. This is a question you can almost be certain will be asked, and you need to have a good answer to it. If you don't have an answer for it, you shouldn't be interviewing for the position. You don't want to end up with a job that you don't like or want.


Avoid saying things like “Because I like working with people.” or “Because I enjoy accounting.”. Those things should be a given. Don't try to come up with an answer on the fly, because interviewers are pretty good at spotting a liar, and you don't want to give the interviewer the impression that you really don't want to work for them.


5. What are your long-range goals?
When you are asked this, make sure that you have something better than “my goal is to get this job.” You want to talk about your long term plans and how this job relates to it. This question can be a little sticky if you are interviewing for a job that you aren't planning to stay at, but perhaps it is a good question for you to ask yourself before you apply for a position. If a job isn't a step toward meeting your personal goals, then your may not want to apply for it.

In this difficult job market, it becomes even more important to give yourself every advantage at your interview. Take the time to prepare your answers to these questions, making sure that you cover all the main points you want to be sure to get across, take a deep breath and don't panic!


By: Melissa Kennedy

Melissa Kennedy is a freelance writer, volunteer, parent and jobseeker

Should I apply for that Job?

Did you ever watch some of the shows on HGTV such as First Time Homebuyers or Property Virgins? I am an HGTV fanatic and I love those shows because they make me laugh. The host/hostess starts off by asking the buyer about their “wish list”. You see them go through their wants such as 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a large yard, a garage, a pool and so on – as if the sky is the limit. Then they say and “our budget is.” some ridiculously low amount. I can’t help but laugh when they do that. As the show goes on, the host/hostess takes the buyer to at least three different properties and you get to listen to their comments as they walk through. By the time the buyer makes a decision, they realize that maybe their wish list wasn’t very practical and they end up buying a place that has most of the features from their wish list.

That seems to the same concept that employers use when looking for job candidates. The employer publishes a job posting with a huge “wish list”. Especially in the technical world – an employer indicates that they want say a business analyst to have 5+ years experience in Oracle, UNIX, SQL, Access, Database design, Visio, requirement management tool experience, use cases, technical writing and the list goes on. Come on – seriously – who has ALL of the requirements the employer is seeking? Maybe a handful of folks but then they are probably not job hunting! The employer knows that they are not going to find a candidate with all of the qualifications they are seeking. However, the employer is seeking as many of the qualifications as possible the same as the house buyer is trying to find as many of their wish list features as possible.

So, if you are a job seeker, do not be afraid to apply for a position where the qualifications are greater than your skill set. An employer will usually compile a list of qualifications and experience for a position that is over and above what they really need. Why do they do this? Well, the same as with the home buyer – they simply want to weed out the undesirables from the desirables. The requirements are simply a wish list for the employer and a general guide for the job seeker. A good rule of thumb is if you meet a larger percentage of the requirements, apply for the job.


The bottom line is that employers hire people they like the same as home buyers buy houses they like even if all of the qualifications/features from their wish list have not been met.



By: Nancy Anderson, Staff Writer

The Laid-Off Life: Submission Impossible

“Desired Position: Reclining. Ha! Company’s President or Vice President. But seriously, whatever’s available. If I were in a position to be picky, I wouldn’t be applying here in the first place.” – anonymous job applicant

I hate online job applications. Well, hate is a very strong word. What I mean to say is I really, really, really hate online job applications.

Granted, in the olden days, back when ‘poking’ someone had entirely different meanings, ‘texting’ wasn’t recognized by my SpellChecker,and ‘Facebook’ was as foreign a word as ‘Bookface’, finding a job was a horridly difficult process. It involved scanning classifieds in the newspaper (remember those?) and actually getting in your car and going to a place of business to fill out an application. By hand! In pen! Who has time for all that nonsense?

Now, it’s a breeze. A simple process that you can do from home. Click ‘Submit!’ and you’re done. Submit! We have received your application and you are in our system. Do not reply to this message, this email address is not monitored! And aggregation sites like CareerBuilder and Monster and HotJobs made it even simpler. All you had to do was sign in, pick a job that sounded fascinating and Submit! They did the work so you didn’t have to, like so many Scrubbing Bubbles.

But simple isn’t always good. When you had to actually make an effort to apply to a job, that company knew that you were a serious candidate, or at the very least that you were seriously interested in the job. It’s human nature; the more difficult the task, the greater the reward must be for us to bother with it. If, say, some huge Delaware Valley company like McNeil or Merck or duPont or Vanguard posts a job on the MegaSites for a great position, can you imagine how many applications they receive when all it requires from you is Submit!? You, my friend, The Most Qualified Person Ever, are one of thousands of applications in a database. Good luck with that.

But I mean I’m not stupid. Or at least not that stupid. I’m a fan of progress. I have a Wii to go along with my ColecoVision. Obviously there are benefits to such ease. I mean, Submit! is a great alternative to driving from West Chester to Center City to Bensalem to Woodbury and back to tender applications by hand. Not that Bensalem isn’t beautiful this time of year. But even in the Internet age, the MegaSites keep you from having to fill out dozens of online applications from scratch by regurgitating your stored information for you. I mean without that, you can develop carpel tunnel from filling out your work history and skills a milliongazillion times.

‘Submit’ has alternate meanings too, like ‘to yield oneself to the authority of another’, as in submit to my will or I shall smite thee! Companies have gotten wise, or at least selfish. Sure, they list themselves on sites like the MegaSites and PhillyJobs.com, but a growing percentage of them require you to come to their websites and fill out their own personal application pages. They’re special. And now we’re back to copy-and-paste carpel tunnel.

I am sure you’ve seen these sites that make you fill out the same information that you’ve filled out a milliongazillion times before, nearly verbatim but with their own special changes here and there. Geez, they are annoying. Fill out all your personal information again. Fill out your education information again. Fill out your work history again. That’s the most infuriating part, the prior employment information. Different and difficult ways to enter, sort, format, and list your work history. Drop-down menus galore. Choose the month-and-day-and-year you started and finished. Choose from a list of ‘job categories’ your position best fits. Mine never fit a category. List your supervisor’s name, email address, phone number, dog’s name, zodiac sign. Don’t have or feel comfortable giving out that information? Sorry, it’s a required field. And my personal favorite: list your most-recent salary. None of their business (which it’s not)? Too bad, that’s required too. Oh, and don’t get fooled by ‘upload your résumé and we’ll auto-fill your information’. That never works right.

After filling out all that info, most of which is just repeated from your résumé (which they don’t read, see here), some sites, especially the big boys, have other ‘special’ pages on their application. Please list five words that describe yourself or describe your work history or please list all the categories of jobs you’d be interested in, how far you’re willing to relocate (geez, I’m applying for a specific job; I know where it is), and are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party.

And, just when you think you’re done three hours later, there are often pages (and pages and pages) of self-evaluation. Seriously. I mean, go fill out an application for Comcast sometime. Literally 28 screens of ‘qualification’ questions, a dozen questions per page: rate yourself on interpersonal skills, what’s your proficiency at team-building, what are your strengths in ‘thought development’, what is your ‘drive execution’ in ‘results leadership’. Those are just four of nearly 300 questions, no joke, no exaggeration. Those are the actual questions. Are they hiring bomb squad techs and CIA agents?

As I’ve talked about before, out of all that information, they’re searching out maybe a dozen matching keywords. My theory is that they don’t care about any of this extraneous information. After so many Submit! résumés, and the thousands of applicants thereof, they got tired of applications so simple that everyone applies. My guess is they believe that if you’re willing to spend half your day filling out their application, you must be pretty serious about wanting the job, wanting to work for them. It’s the Internet age equivalent to running around filling out by-hand applications. If it’s not worth it to you to jump through flaming hoops, you’re not a serious candidate. And I suppose I don’t blame them. But maybe I’m wrong, and these endless applications are some high-level Rorschach test, their Willy Wonka punishment for bad children sorting out who’ll be heir to the chocolate factory.

Normally, I have a piece of sage advice at this point in the column to solve the week’s dilemma, but not today. All I can say is if you want the job as race dog, you must jump through all the hoops they put in front of you. And so, good luck to those of you holding Golden Tickets. When filling out these endless applications, try not to get sucked up the pipe to the Fudge Room before getting to Submit! It won’t stop my hatred of online job applications, but that’s progress for you in the Laid-Off Life.

Just don’t blame me if I sell Slugworth the Everlasting Gobstopper for revenge.


Michael Hochman
LaidOffLife@yahoo.com ◙ Laid-Off Life on Twitter ◙ Laid-Off Life on Facebook

Michael is a Copywriter, Creative Marketer, and Broadcasting Professional still in search of full-time employment after 11 months of full-time job hunting, thanks to an “involuntary career sabbatical”. A Philly native and Syracuse graduate, Michael will gladly accept any job offer you may have for him. Any. Really. Please give me a job??

---

"Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called everybody, and they meet at the bar." - Drew Carey

Wilimington Trust – Here Today, Gone Tomorrow?

Ever wonder how your local economy can change on a dime? Well, here you go. Wilmington Trust handed the CEO position to a no-name in the banking industry. When CEO Cecala announced he would retire, the bank, instead of doing an external search for a successor, handed the reigns over to Donald Foley, former treasurer of ITT Corp. No other candidates were considered according to Mr. Foley.


So I wanted to find out more about Donald Foley. I found out that, although he has been on the board at Wilmington Trust for four years, his past has included executive positions in accounting, financial analysis, corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. I think the part that scares me the most for the future of Wilmington Trust is the mergers and acquisitions background.
The bank has been damaged by loan losses and weak earnings and lost yet more when the announcement came about the CEO’s unexpected retirement. Could there be credit issues that they are not making public? Is Mr. Foley planning to start selling off parts of the bank? Knowing that they are the dominant bank in the area and a major lender to small businesses as well as local developers – well that certainly leads me to wonder if the Philadelphia region won’t be a party to a domino-effect especially for the smaller business owners.


Some things to watch for if you are one of those small business owners would be if the bank tried to call any of your loans early due to monetary concerns; if they refused additional credit lines to small business owners; if they sold the loans to other local banks such as PNC or US Bancorp along with the possibility of higher interest rates; or even if they made it harder for new small businesses to get first time loans. This truly has a domino-effect on the entire local economy.


So stay tuned Philly to see what happens. Will Wilmington Trust be able to remain independent as professed by its newest CEO or will be up for the highest bidder?



By: Nancy Anderson


Nancy Anderson, SEO Analyst for the Traffic Department at Beyond.com. Nancy has been working with Beyond since 2002. Prior to Beyond, Nancy worked as a business systems analyst at HNC Software, Inc and completed a twenty year career in the US Navy – retiring as a Chief Petty Officer. She enjoys spending time with her beautiful daughter and three incredible granddaughters.

Should you move to find a job?

Are you one of the many job seekers who have been looking and looking for a job in your area but just not finding anything? Is your unemployment about to run out? Are you living in a high cost area and unable to make ends meet?


If you answered yes to those questions you might be a good candidate to consider moving for a good or even better job. However, before you start packing, do your research.


• What is the job situation in the area you are considering? Is it a lot better or just a little bit better? If only a little better, then it’s probably not worth the move.
• What about your family? Do they maybe help out with childcare? Have they been assisting you financially? How will it affect your relationship if you move away? Have you considered the possible extra cost for childcare? Does your spouse agree with the move?
• What about your housing arrangements? Would you have to sell your home? What does the real estate market look like? Are homes selling or sitting? In most areas it’s a buyer’s market, not a seller’s. Are you renting and have a lease? Would you have to pay a penalty to get out of the lease?
• What will it cost you to actually move including packing materials, boxes, renting a truck or hiring a company to move your items?
• What about climate issues? Are you moving to an area that might cause health issues for you or a member of your family? If you plan to move from the north to the south, are you and your family prepared for humidity and less than four seasons? If you are moving from the south to the north, are you prepared for bitter cold and snow and all four seasons? What about altitude changes. This may sound silly but it can truly make a difference to be happy with your new location or being totally miserable.
• What about cultural differences between your current location and the new one? If you love going to the theater and multi-cultural events, will you be happy where the most important event of the year is the County Fair?
• What about transportation issues? Are you moving from a total public transportation environment to one where you cannot survive without a car? An automobile would be yet another expense.
• What about politics? Are they important to you? If you are a republican, are you willing to move to a predominately democratic state?
• What about sporting events? Are you a big fan of a local team? Will you be able to handle not watching all of their games? Be willing to root for the enemy of the local sport’s team.
• Do a cost of living comparison between your current location and the new location. Can you really afford the move?


So make sure you do your research and consider all of the questions above. These are only a few questions to ponder. In addition, never believe that if you move, the job will come. That’s like the old saying build it and they will come and that only happens in the movies. Find a job before you move even if it is only a temporary gig. Also, consider what you type of job you might be willing to take. Are you willing to take ANY position just to change your location? What are your career objectives? Will you be able to meet them or are your trading one bad place for another?


Only you can answer these questions but consider them thoroughly before making your first move.

By Nancy Anderson

Nancy Anderson, SEO Analyst for the Traffic Department at Beyond.com. Nancy has been working with Beyond since 2002. Prior to Beyond, Nancy worked as a business systems analyst at HNC Software, Inc and completed a twenty year career in the US Navy – retiring as a Chief Petty Officer. She enjoys spending time with her beautiful daughter and three incredible granddaughters.